Dragons, ‘Black Watch’ and 8 other things to do this week

1 Shuggie Otis

Son of fabled Los Angeles band leader Johnny Otis, singer-guitarist Shuggie Otis has had a roller coaster of a career, the most recent high point being the rediscovery of his 1974 masterpiece, “Inspiration Information,” featuring songs sampled by everyone from OutKast to Beyoncé. Along with the reissue, Otis has also released an album of new material, “Wings of Love.”

2 'Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic'

Visitors to “Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic” at EMP will literally explore “the human need to create and imagine alternative fictional worlds” via an enchanted forest complete with dark caverns, a medieval courtyard and — they’re everywhere, aren’t they? — an enormous dragon, built by Seattle Opera. Other exhibits include the Cowardly Lion costume from “The Wizard of Oz,” manuscript pages from “The Hobbit” with handwritten edits by Tolkien and a throne used in HBO’s series “Game of Thrones.”

3 'Assisted Living'

Seattle actress-turned-playwright Katie Forgette’s barbed comedy about retirees who revolt against their senior-residence restraints has its premiere at ACT Theatre, under the direction of R. Hamilton Wright.

4 'Black Watch'

The highly acclaimed show from the National Theatre of Scotland examines the role of the soldier through the eyes of members of the elite Black Watch, whose members have served Scotland for hundreds of years. “The highly visual piece melds military pageantry and music with rough humor, historical notes, audiovisuals and the gritty, sympathetic depiction of contemporary warriors,” writes Seattle Times theater critic Misha Berson.

5 'Beyond Books: The Independent Art of Eric Carle'

There’s more to artist Eric Carle than his beloved “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “The Very Quiet Cricket.” The children’s book illustrator has been working privately on paintings, sculptures and sketches for years — work never published. Tacoma Art Museum has a selection of these on view, as well as works from his extremely popular children’s books.

6 Hilary Hahn

The superstar violinist returns to Seattle for a performance with Seattle Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor Xian Zhang, music director of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi. Hahn will perform Sibelius’ Violin Concerto; it’s the composer’s only concerto, but what a gem it is. “It has an undercurrent that some people call bleak, but I feel it is a controlled power just waiting to be unleashed,” Hahn says.

7 'Project Runway'

9 p.m. Thursday on Lifetime.

Thursday is the season finale of “Project Runway,” and the Oregonian reports that the top 3 include Portland’s Michelle Lesniak Franklin, a favorite of Tim Gunn.

8 'Oblivion'

Tom Cruise continues his resurrected career as a science-fiction action star in this story based on director Joseph Kosinski’s graphic novel of the same name, about a drone repairman whose memory has been “scrubbed.” Read Soren Anderson’s review here.

9 Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival

The 38th annual fest has a theme of “numbers” this year, and part of the entertainment is a showdown between a Japanese Abacus device called Soroban and the Super Computer. Also: arts and crafts displays, taiko drummers, traditional food, the “Tohoku: Through the Eyes of Japanese” photography exhibit and an “aquaphoto concert” by underwater photographer-singer Hiroshi Takano.

10 Farmers Markets

It’s easy to be a locavore when the the region’s bounty is spread out at markets all over the city. Open year-round: University District (Saturdays) and West Seattle (Sundays); open now: Broadway (Sundays); opening May 1: Columbia City (Wednesdays). Shop now for rhubarb, hard cider and peavines/shoots, leeks and strawberry starts.

The Seattle area is home to a vibrant arts scene — there's always something going on in theaters, concert halls, galleries, museums. How to keep up? ArtsPage will showcase work by some of The Seattle Times' expert fine-arts writers, to help you navigate local art offerings. We'll include news, observations, images, humor, links and ways for you to join the conversation, too. Email the editors